Hi there, my name is Aly Chisum and I am a worship leader with the Gathering UMC. One of my favorite things about music is the ability it has to create meaning during a specific time, and to bring back memories that are almost tangible later down the road. We’re forming those associations almost constantly without knowing it, only to find out later what a sweet impact the lyrics and melodies have. Here are some things that have been creating meaning for me as of late!

The Head and the HeartThis band makes it in the top three favorites of all time for me. Including intricate three part harmonies in almost every song they do, The Head and the Heart molds unconventional lyrics with extremely complex musicianship to create incredible sounds. I know that when the leaves start changing it’s time to go back to some old favorites like Down in the Valley and 10,000 Weight In Gold. They are definitely my “cool weather” band!

Tedeschi Trucks BandThis group is led by acclaimed musician Derek Trucks and his wife Susan Tedeschi. Through a fellow musician at the Gathering I have become a huge fan of this group! Their sweet blues lines make you forget how long an 8 minute song is going on for because you are enthralled with the intricate solos you are hearing. I have especially enjoyed listening to their song These Walls (the beat drops at about the 2:40 mark, after quite the sarod solo).

Tiny Desk ConcertsNPR’s brilliant way of making amazing live music accessible to pretty much anyone! I can (and have) spend hours just clicking through to the next Tiny Desk Concert, seeing favorites charm the cubicle and learning about new artists. Leon Bridges absolutely slays it in his feature , and I often turn this on when I’m around the house and feelin’ smooth.

Dear Evan HansenLast and certainly not least, I am a musical theatre nerd. Like, know all the lyrics to every song of the three hour show Hamilton nerd. Following Hamilton’s Tony award for Best Musical in 2016 came the new winner of 2017, Dear Evan Hansen. This show was written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who are known for their song cycle Edges and more notably for the lyrics to La La Land. Dear Evan Hansen is a completely original musical, and tells the story of a shy high school kid who is learning about how to gain confidence in himself and work through prevalent issues that face kids and young adults alike, not excluding love and loss. The songs are so well written, catchy, and of course include the classic musical theatre uplifting tune to close Act I, called You Will Be Found.

I hope you gain some inspiration and meaning from the glimpse at what I’ve been listening to lately! There is exponentially more, and I would love to hear what gets your heart beating and blood pumping.